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Winemaker's Notes

The 2008 Estate Vineyard Pinot Noir is an elegant wine that truly expresses the terroir of the three unique vineyard sites within the Willamette Valley that contribute to this bottling. Aromas of cherry, pie spice, nuts and plum, are complimented by just a hint of brown sugar sweetness on the nose. A sweet entry with flavors of tart red cherry, raspberry, orange peel, black pepper and dark chocolate. A lively, spicy sip with mouthfilling body, lively acid and balanced, round tannins. The finish is long, juicy, and just a little spicy. Appealing now but will further reward those who cellar this wine. Drink now through 2016.

Pair with prime rib, quail, duck, wild game, and winter vegetables-especially mushrooms. Great paired with dishes with complex spices. Try with a variety of medium to strong cheeses.

Critical Acclaim

W&S92

Wine & Spirits - "Slightly rustic and woodsy, this wine has a smoky savor, an earthy top note over grilled cherry scents. The firm, weighty tannins have the structure to reward cellar time; then serve with duck confit."

BH91

Burghound.com - "An attractive and impressively complex nose of fresh red
and dark berry fruit aromas that are cut with spice and briar notes merges into supple, detailed and energetic middle weight
flavors that terminate in a mouth coating and well-balanced finish. This relatively forward effort could already be enjoyed
though there is excellent upside development potential present."

WS90

Wine Spectator - "Light and fragrant, with some density to the black cherry and fresh orange peel aromas and flavors, weaving in a brewed tea note as the finish persists against refined tannins. Drink now through 2018."

Willamette Valley Vineyards

United in the dream of building a world class winery in Oregon, thousands of wine enthusiasts joined winegrower Jim Bernau to create Willamette Valley Vineyards, which is regarded as one of Oregon's top wineries. Since 1983, the winery has grown to produce some of the highest-rated Pinot Noirs in the U.S. Wine Enthusiast magazine has named Willamette Valley Vineyards one of "America's Great Pinot Noir Producers." Their wines have been served at the White House and are recommended by wine critic and author Andrea Immer, Food Network's Rachael Ray and Public Broadcasting's chefs Caprial and John Pence.

Willamette Valley Vineyards' goal is to make the highest quality Burgundian varietals possible from the Willamette Valley. Their approach is to grow, by hand, the highest quality fruit using careful canopy management, and achieve wines that are truly expressive of the varietal and the place where they are grown. Bernau's stylistic emphasis is on pure varietal fruit characters, with attention to depth and richness of mouth feel and balance.

The people of Willamette Valley Vineyards are deeply committed to being good stewards of the land using natural means to promote soil nutrition and vine health. Both the Estate and Tualatin vineyards are LIVE certified and designated "Salmon Safe" by the Pacific Rivers Council.
View all Willamette Valley Vineyards Wines

About Willamette Valley

Named for the river that runs through the valley from Portland to Eugene, Willamette Valley is home to some of the best Pinot Noir vineyards in the Northwest. While along the same north/south line as Seattle, the Willamette Valley is protected from Pacific rains by the Coast Range on the western border and the Cascade Ranges to the east. Though sunshine is typically plentiful, rainfall can occasionally be tricky, and the wines here vary vintage to vintage. Within the Willamette Valley are are number of sub-regions, including McMinnville, Dundee and Yamhill.

Notable Facts

The valley is known for its Pinots – Pinot Noir and Pinot Gris. With a climate similar to Burgundy – in rainfall, sunlight hours and other climate factors – Pinot Noir has flourished here. Pinot Noir in Oregon produces wines that are fruit forward, yet complex, some with good agebility.

Other than Pinot Noir, many wineries grow Pinot Gris and Chardonnay. Pinot Gris from Oregon is delightful in its texture and food friendliness. Chardonnay in the valley adapts well to the cool climate and produces lean, elegant wines.

About Oregon

Oregon has long been an agricultural state, producing everything from hazelnuts to cattle. The Willamette Valley in particular is a fertile basin for all sorts of produce. Not quite pegged as a wine state, in 1965, a UC Davis graduate named David Lett decided that the Willamette's climate mirrored that of Burgundy in France. With that in mind, he decided to plant some Pinot Noir clones to see how they did. And a good gamble it was. The Willamette is now one of the only regions in the world to focus solely on Pinot Noir as its red variety. Also known for Chardonnay and Pinot Gris. The southern part of Oregon has been slower in delving into the world wine market, but has been making excellent strides with their Rhone style varietals, like Syrah and Grenache. There are also coastal regions producing promising wines.

Shea Vineyard is located in the hilly country at the north end of the Willamette Valley. The wine has a
distinctive sweet soy character, with ripe red cherries, blackberries and plums in the nose and mouth.

Deep garnet in color, the spice driven nose includes aromas of red cherry, cinnamon, vanilla, and a hint of sweet
tobacco leaf. Full flavored with a sweet, juicy, and deep center, surrounded by ripe red raspberry, a touch of gravel, ...

The stylistic vision is pure Pinot Noir fruit with a soft, juicy mouthfeel, balanced oak and soft, sweet, ripe tannins.
The methodology includes attention to detail from vineyard tobottle. Picked at peak ripeness, the fruit was gently destemmed, with approximately ...

Alcohol By Volume Guide

Most wine ranges from 10-16% alcohol by volume. Some varietals tend to have higher (for example Zinfandel and Cabernet Sauvignon) or lower alcohol levels (Pinot Noir and many white varietals), but there is always some variation from producer to producer. Some wine falls outside of this range, for instance Port weighs in closer to 20%, while Muscat and Riesling are usually a bit below 10%.

Wine Style Guide

Light & Fruity

Red wines that are more fruit-forward and lighter in tannin and body.

Smooth & Supple

Medium bodied reds that go down easy, with smooth tannins and supple fruit.